Today, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Ranking Member of the U.S. House International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Subcommittee (IOHRO), urged President Obama in a letter, to unambiguously condemn the Communist Chinese government’s violent crackdown on peaceful Uighur protests in the Xinjiang province of China.

“During our holiday season as we celebrated the Fourth of July, there have been alarming reports of violence against, and killings of, hundreds of Uighurs,” writes Rohrabacher. “If indeed there has been a massacre of Uighurs, I would hope that you demand to know who is responsible…

“This is a case that calls out for unambiguous condemnation on the part of the United States. Your words will make a difference one way or the other and will be remembered.”

Rep. Rohrabacher also sent a joint letter with subcommittee Chairman, Rep. William Delahunt (D-MA), to Secretary of State Clinton asking for strong condemnation of the Communist Chinese government’s violent actions and investigation into who is responsible for ordering the attacks.

The House International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight Subcommittee recently held a series of hearings on the persecution of Uighurs in China and the wrongful detention of twenty two Uighurs at Guantanamo Bay. During testimony, the subcommittee learned Chinese intelligence officers were granted permission by the U.S. to interrogate Uighur detainees during a week-long visit to Guantanamo Bay, despite the fact that China has been engaged in systematic oppression and violence against the Uighurs in their native Xinjiang province.